Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

Rachael was completely taken aback by the sudden aggressive action. She looked at Samuel and Yuri who were standing rooted on the ground with no intention of stopping the man who was almost choking their boss.

"How could you do this to me?" The man tightened his grip around Andrew's shoulder. "After everything we have been through, how could you betray me like that?"

When Andrew did not say anything, he looked at him with teary eyes. "I thought I was your best bro and your best friend."

"You are scaring Rachael," Andrew frowned.

"Oh right—" The man looked at Rachael and smiled, "Hi, we haven't met officially yet—I am Owen Volkov."

Rachael had no idea how she was supposed to react. The man was still clutching onto Andrew's collar and was also greeting her with a bright smile.

Looking at Andrew again, Owen whispered, "Damn bro, sister-in-law is hot."

"Let go—"

"No—I am still mad," Owen frowned. "How could you get married without inviting me? Fu*ck the invite, you did not even tell me about it."

Before Andrew could say anything, he snapped again. "Who was your best man? Tell me which bas*tard had the audacity to take my place."

"Owen—"

"Yes, it should have been Owen but you don't even care to invite him—" Owen snapped. "Tell me the name Andrew—"

"There was no best man because there was no wedding," Andrew stated.

"Don't lie—" he yelled.

"H-He is right, there was no wedding," Rachael intervened.

Looking at Rachael and then Andrew, Owen asked, "Really?"

"You heard her." He grabbed Owen's wrist and jerked him away.

"Okay so there was no wedding—so how did you both get married?"

"We just registered our marriage yesterday," Andrew answered.

"Why? Is sister-in-law pregnant?" Owen curiously inquired.

Rachael widened her eyes in shock. She wasn't expecting Owen to assume such a thing.

"Stop talking nonsense," Andrew frowned.

"What?" Owen shrugged. "What else could be the reason for an urgent marriage?" He then looked at Yuri and Samuel. "Do you think my assumption is nonsense?"

Without saying anything, both of them quietly took the suitcase from the car trunk and left.

Ignoring Owen's weird comments, Andrew approached Rachael. "You okay?" When she nodded, he said, "He is Owen Volkov, my first maternal cousin."

Owen Volkov, 31, was one of a handful people he was close with from his maternal family.

When Andrew was taken away by his maternal grandfather after his parents death, he felt very left out in the new atmosphere. This is when he became friends with Owen. In fact, Owen was the first person he had a real conversation with after he started living in the Volkov mansion.

"Uh huh, I am not just his first cousin but also his best friend, partner in crime and soulmate," Owen grinned.

After learning that he was Andrew's cousin, everything made sense to Rachael. This is why no one stopped Owen from being so aggressive with Andrew.

"Hi," Rachael smiled. "It's nice meeting you."

"Your 'Hi' is so formal," Owen exclaimed. "We are family and family don't greet each other with a simple 'Hi'. We hug—" Extending his arms, he grinned, "Sister-in-law—" But before he could reach anywhere near Rachael with his open arms, Andrew pushed him away.

"Alright, we should go inside."

"Yes, let's go inside," Owen exclaimed excitedly. "But first—don't forget the tradition."

"What tradition?"

"This is the first time Rachael is coming here, right?" When he nodded, Owen added, "You have to carry her inside."

"That's not—" Before Rachael could finish her sentence, Andrew swiftly scooped her into his arms.

She yelped and quickly hooked her arms around his neck. "Andrew—" She stopped when their eyes met. She felt him gently tightening his grip around her.

"Look at the two of you—so adorable." Owen took out his phone and started taking their picture. "This will go in our college group."

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall," Andrew assured her. "Ready to go home?"

Rachael smiled and nodded. The word 'Home' felt so warm and nice.

Holding his wife in his arms, Andrew walked inside the mansion.

…..

[Inside]

As soon as they entered, a woman approached them and started talking to Andrew in Russian.

Though Rachael had studied Russian for three whole months before switching to Korean when she was in high school, each and every word the woman was saying went right over her head.

"Да," Andrew answered. He then looked at Rachael, "She is aunt Maria, she takes care of the mansion."

Rachael smiled at her but did not say anything. She then looked at Andrew. "Can you tell her that I am very happy to meet her?"

"Well, why don't you say it yourself?"

"Does she understand English?" she whispered to him.

"Yes….my english is not very perfect but I can understand and speak," Maria answered with a very thick Russian accent.

"Oh I am so sorry, I thought—" When Maria started talking to Andrew in Russian, Rachael assumed she didn't know how to talk in English.

"It's alright, almost everyone thinks that way." Owen hooked his arms around Maria's shoulder. "Right, Aunt Maria?"

Gently caressing Rachael's face, Maria exclaimed, "она красивая.....You are very beautiful."

"Thanks," Rachael smiled.

"If she wasn't beautiful, do you think Andrew would have married her?" Owen chuckled, "He was charmed by her beauty."

Aunt Maria smacked Owen's arm. "You shouldn't say such things about your sister-in-law."

"If you need anything and I am not around, you can always ask Aunt Maria. She is always around and there are other helpers too." Andrew understood that the new environment would initially be awkward and weird for her. He wanted to try his best to make her feel comfortable in the mansion even when he wasn't around.

Looking around, Rachael saw a few women trying to peek out of the kitchen.

"Lunch is ready—you should come and eat," Aunt Maria said.

"We will be right there."

"Hey Andrew, the tradition is carrying the new bride inside the house—not around the house," Owen remarked.

This is when Rachael realized that Andrew was still carrying her in his arms.

…..